Freshman Year Checklist

Time to say goodbye to high school and hello to a whole new world! Here are some tips to make your freshman year a success:

Don’t stay stuck in high school.

Whether you’re staring your college career with some

high school besties or braving a whole new world alone, don’t get stuck in the high school rut. Branch out by getting to know the new people, and fight the temptation to come home to your familiar routine every weekend.

Hold off on buying your books.

It’s tempting to go immediately to the campus bookstore and start rounding up all of your first college textbooks before your first semester officially begins. But once you get to your first day of class you may be in for a surprise when you find you’ve made an unnecessary (and expensive!) purchase. Wait to hear directly from your professor what books you’ll need, and remember to check online for better prices, too!

Don’t skip too many classes.

Yes, even the 8 a.m. ones. It’s easy to get carried away with the freedom that college provides when it comes to class attendance, but just trust us on this one. You (or your parents) are paying a hefty price tag for the instruction, so don’t make the rookie mistake of wasting a semester and wrecking your GPA.

Get out of your comfort zone.

Now is the time! Explore new clubs and new hobbies. If you try a new activity and find that it’s not for you, check it off your list and move on to the next fun possibility. These four years will go by faster than you think, so make the most of them.

Take advantage of those awesome student discounts.

Most stores have one! You can also get great discounts

at most movie theaters, on Amazon Prime, and even with your cell phone carrier. Another tip: Register at www.studentrate.com for tons of great student deals!

Take care of yourself.

It’s tempting to overindulge with all of this new freedom, and there isn’t exactly a gym class where you’re forced to be active for an hour each day. You’re in charge of your own health and wellbeing now! Make yourself eat something green every once in a while instead of living off pizza and Easy Mac, and try to get to the gym or go for a run occasionally. Your body and brain will thank you!

Be smart with your social media. Now that you’re an adult and somewhat independent, you may be thinking that you can do and post whatever you want. But keep in mind that in a few short years, you’ll be looking to start a career, and chances are that your employer will be checking you out on social media. Once you post something online it never really goes away, so don’t let one post ruin your chances.

Call your mom and dad. You might think their phone calls and texts are sometimes annoying, but they miss you more than you know. Check in with them at least once a week, and don’t ignore their calls and texts too often. Besides, the number of times you call home often directly correlates with the chances that they’ll let you bring home your dirty laundry.